Perhaps, this was Joy’s first time seeing so many of his peers. He was in especially high spirits today. He kept talking about various things that happened in the kindergarten with Zhao Youlin like a chatterbox.

  Zhao Youlin listened to him patiently. She replied to him occasionally until his voice grew faint…


  When Zhao Youlin heard no more talking from her side, she turned around, only to see Joy had fallen asleep. His small head was leaning close to Zhao Youlin’s arm. His red lips were slightly parted, and he was breathing delicately.

  Zhao Youlin let out a bark of laughter. He was a child, and it was only normal that he would be tired after playing for the whole day.

  Thinking of this, Zhao Youlin reached out and pulled her son into her arms so that he could sleep more comfortably.

  The sleeping Joy felt warmth and a familiar smell around him. He instinctively wrapped around Zhao Youlin’s waist. He buried his round face into Zhao Youlin’s arms, and he fell asleep again with satisfaction.

  Zhao Youlin’s gaze softened as she indulged in watching her child’s series of motions. She lowered her head and kissed his forehead. However, a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

  She fretted about the previous incident. It would have been fine if those people were targeting her. But, if they laid their eyes on her child…


  No way. She had to find the mastermind as soon as possible. Otherwise, she would not be at ease.

  Thinking of this, Zhao Youlin could not help but hug her child more tightly.

  The familiar softness and smell in her arms relaxed her tensed nerves for the day. Soon, fatigue came to her within an instant. She could not help but close her eyes.

  After driving for some distance, Xiao Jingyao noticed that they had fallen silent. At the traffic light, he took the opportunity to look in the rearview mirror that reflected the image behind him.

  After seeing the two were closely embraced that depicted a pleasant image, he froze. The corners of his lips unwittingly curled up.

  He continued driving. However, if one were to observe carefully, one would realize that the speed had obviously slowed down a lot.

  Zhao Youlin enjoyed an unusually peaceful and quiet moment. Meanwhile, another completely different image was shown in a villa at the other end of the city.

  The dappled shadows of the trees and hazy moonlight cast into the room through the sheer curtains that fluttered by the windowsill. One could vaguely see a standing dark shadow through the window.

  “What?! You failed?! What are you guys doing?! How dare you ask me for money when so many of you can’t even succeed in handling a person?!” The woman’s voice was deliberately muffled. So, it was not heard very clearly. However, one could clearly hear her tone was filled with anger and resentment.

  Soon, the person on the other line reacted to this. The person seemed to be affected by the woman’s high-pitched voice, and he sounded unfriendly as well, “Madam, how can you say that?! We’ve given our best. You didn’t inform us that the person we’re going to kill knows how to use a weapon! My brothers were injured because of this, and one of them has been arrested by the police. We don’t even know if he’s still alive or dead! You can’t settle this account by not giving us the money.”


  “What did you say?! One of you has been arrested?!” The woman raised her voice upon hearing the person’s words. She immediately reacted to it by covering her mouth in panic. She surveyed around in guilt, and continued to talk in a low voice, “What’s going on? Why was one of your men arrested? What happens if he exposes you guys?!”


  “Madam, I think you’re more worried about exposing yourself, right?” The person on the other end laughed sinisterly, “Madam, don’t blame us for not telling you this. We are used to living a brutal life, and we’re no longer concerned about our own lives. However, you’re different from us. You’re the madam of a prestigious family. Yet, you hired us, desperadoes to kill a descendant from your family. If this were to spread outside, how do you think you will end up?”


  “You’re threatening me!” The woman kept her voice low. However, she was apparently gritting her teeth as she spoke.

  “Madam, don’t get mad. I’m just laying out the facts. I believe you also don’t want all of us to end up unhappy. Therefore, please send us the reward for this trip as promised earlier. I’ll treat them as medical expenses for my brothers as well as hush money. That’s all. Goodbye.”


  The person just hung up on the woman without waiting for her reply.

  When the woman heard the beeping sound, she instinctively held the phone tight. In the end, she no longer held back and smashed the phone on the side of a vase with all her might.

  A loud shattering sound was heard. The shattering sound of the vase as well as the cracking sound of the mobile phone rang throughout the house. Even the curtains by the windows were affected by it.

  The curtains were fluttering. The moonlight cast itself into the room and reflected the person’s resentful, twisted face.

  “Mother, what’s going on? What’s with the commotion? Mother, open the door!”


  The person’s entire body shuddered when she heard the sudden knocking sound on the door. She quickly withdrew her expression, drew in a deep breath, and she walked over to the door.

  Once the door was opened, Zhao Youxi dashed in from outside worriedly. She froze when she saw the situation inside the room. She switched on the lights while asking, “Mother, why didn’t you turn on the lights? It’s very dark. Oh dear! What’s that?”


  The lights instantly illuminated the entire room. Zhao Youxi felt she had stepped on something. She moved her leg, and she nearly sprained it.

  Luckily, Li Hongyu agilely helped her out, “Be careful.”


  It was after some time that Zhao Youxi regained her balance. When she saw the mess in the entire room, she froze. She turned back and looked at Li Hongyu, “Mother, did you…”


  “Oh, I was just resting. Suddenly, I saw a mouse passing by. I was so scared that I…”


  “A mouse?!” Zhao Youxi was shocked. She hurriedly grabbed Li Hongyu and instinctively took a few steps back while looking at her surroundings in fear.

  “Maybe my eyes deceived me. Don’t be afraid. Tomorrow, I’ll ask Uncle Fu to check and clean the entire house. I certainly won’t spare even one mouse.”


  “Okay.” Upon hearing her words, Zhao Youxi felt more relieved. Then, she shifted her gaze and caught sight of a mobile phone that had been heavily broken, “How about this…”


  “Oh, it’s my mobile phone. I was so nervous when I saw the mouse that I simply tossed anything that was next to me. I didn’t know it was my phone. It looks like I have to buy another one soon.”


  “So, that’s how it is…” Zhao Youxi felt something was not right. Yet, she could not quite figure it out. So, she nodded as she said, “I’ll ask someone to clean up. Mother, you better rest early.”